Apparatus for handling mold flask sections



July 17, 1956 l. L. UNDERWOOD n AL 2,755,124

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING MOLD FLASK SECTIONS Filed April 14, 1952ATTORNEYS United States Patent O APPARATUS FOR HANDLING MOLD FLASKSECTIONS Ivan L. Underwood and John V. Sulga, Detroit, Mich., assgnorsto Kelsey-Hayes Wheel Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of DelawareApplication April 14, 1952, Serial No. 282,088

2 Claims. (Cl. 294-110) The invention has for one of its objects toprovide an apparatus for transferring a ask section from one position toanother position, the apparatus being so constructed that it quickly andefficiently performs the transfer operation.

The invention has for another object to provide a molding ask sectionhandling apparatus in which the device for releasably gripping a flasksection is automatically operable to grip and release the flask section.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsin which:

Figure l is a side elevation of the apparatus for handling molding flasksections showing an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is an end view thereof.

The apparatus for handling molding flask sections is designedparticularly for use with ask sections for receiving molding sand and isdesigned to transfer empty llask. sections' being advanced upon aconveyor from the conveyor to a molding machine at one side of theconveyor.

1 is the conveyor of conventional construction, it being, in the presentinstance, a gravity conveyor having the frame 2 and the rollers 3 whichsupport the molding llask sections 4 and are arranged to provide foradvance of the ask sections by gravity. The ask sections are ofconventional construction, each being formed of metal and having at itssides and upper and lower edges the bevelled shoulders 5 facing eachother. 6 is a molding machine adjacent to and at one side of theconveyor, it being of conventional construction and in the presentinstance an Osborn molding machine. The molding machine is adapted tosupport a flask section above which is located the'molding sand hopper 7which is also of conventional construction designed to discharge apredetermined amount of molding sand into the ilask section on themolding machine.

For transferring a flask section from the conveyor to the moldingmachine, we have provided the device 8 for gripping the ask section, thetrolley 9 for carrying the device from a position over the conveyor to aposition over the molding machine, the motor 10 for moving the trolleyand the motor 11 for raising and lowering the device. The grippingdevice has the support 12 which is in the nature of a bar and the arms13 pivotally connected at their upper ends to the plate and dependingfrom the plate in divergent relation to each other. The arms have thelower faces 14 which are adapted to ride over the upper edge of theflask section when the gripping device is being lowered relative to theflask section to thereby spread the arms apart. The arms also have attheir lower ends the hooks 15 facing each other and normally engageablewith the downwardly facing shoulders 5 at the upper edge of the flasksection when the gripping device is' being raised. For holding the armsspread apart in a position spacing the hooks from each other a distancesufficient to clear the shoulders upon a ask section,

Patented July 17, 1956 we have provided the gravity actuated link 16pivotally connected at one end to one of the arms and the cooperatingkeeper 17 upon the other of the arms. The link is provided near its freeend with the downwardly opening notch 18 forming the shoulder 19, forengaging a shoulder formed by the keeper 17 when the keeper extends intothe notch 18.` The link 16 is pivoted to a cross bar and the keeper isformed by a cross bar. The notch and its shoulder are spaced from thepivotal connection of the link with its arm a sufficient distance suchthat when the keeper extends into the notch the arms are held spreadapart to space their hooks from each other a sufcient distance to clearthe shoulders upon the flask section. For the purpose of releasing thelink from the keeper during the lowering of the gripping device towardthe conveyor, the frame of the conveyor has secured to one side thereofthe upwardly extending bar 20 to the upper end portion of which issecured the transverse stop 21 in the nature of a pin which isengageable with the free end portion of the link 16 after the hooks 15have reached a position below the shoulders 5 at the upper edge of thellask section. As a result the hooks are free to swing inwardly towardeach other into engagement with the shoulders to lift the flask sectionwhen the gripping device is raised. It will be noted that the lower edgeof the link inwardly of the notch rides over the keeper.

22 is a track located at an elevation above the conveyor and moldingmachine and extending transverse of the conveyor toward the moldingmachine. The trolley 9 has the load bar 23 to the ends of which aresecured uprights 24 at the upper ends of which are journalled the wheels25 resting upon and movable along the lower flanges of the track whichis preferably an I-beam. The trolley also has the hanger 26 secured toand depending from the load bar and having at one end the depending leg27 to which is pivotally connected one end of the motor 11. The motor isa double acting iluid pressure actuated cylinder of conventionalconstruction located below and extending parallel to the load bar 23 andhaving its cylinder proper pivotally connected to the leg 27 and itspiston connected to one end of the cable 28, the other end of which isconnected to the frame 12 of the gripping device. The cable extends overthe sheave 29 which is located Within the outer end of the guide housing30. The guide housing is in axial alignment with the piston of the motor11 and is supported by the leg 31 and the brace 32 depending from thehanger 26. This guide housing engages' and supports the piston of themotor at all times during its reciprocation while raising and loweringthe gripping device.

For moving the gripping device between a position locating the sameabove the conveyor and engageable with a ask section upon the conveyorand a position locating the gripping device and the ilask sectiongripped thereby above and registering with the table of the moldingmachine, the motor 10 is connected to the trolley 9 to move the trolleya predetermined stroke which is controlled by the motor. The motor is adouble acting uid pressure actuated cylinder of conventionalconstruction having its cylinder proper pivotally connected to thesupport 33 and its piston connected to the hanger 26 of the trolley bythe rod 34. The motor is located beneath and extends parallel to thetrack 22 and is positioned to clear the trolley when the latter is inposition registering the gripping device with a flask section upon theconveyor.

To control the operation of the motors 10 and 11, we have provided thevalves 35 and 36 located to be easily manipulated by the operator of theapparatus. As shown, these valves are mounted upon the track 22. Thevalve 35 is connected by the pipes 37 and 38 to the rear and front endsof the cylinder proper of the motor 10. The valve 36 is connected to therear and front ends of the cylinder proper of the motor 11 by the pipes39 and 40. Both valves control the inlet and exhaust to the ends of thecylinders proper of the fluid under pressure which is preferablycompressed air.

In operation, assuming the parts to be in positions shown by full linesin Figure 1, the gripping device 8 is in position registering the flasksection 4 with the table of the molding machine 6 and holding the flasksection above the table. Manipulation of the valve 36 to admitcompressed air through the pipe 39 to the cylinder proper of the motor11 and allow compressed air to exhaust through the pipe 40 provides forthe forward movement of the piston of the motor to permit the grippingdevice and the flask section to lower. During the lowering, the flasksection engages and rests upon the table of the molding machine afterwhich the lower faces 14 of the arms 13 ride downwardly over the upperedge of the ask section spreading the arms apart and disengaging thehooks 15 from the downwardly facing shoulders of the ask section afterwhich the keeper 17 engages in the notch 18 of the link 16 and ashoulder upon the keeper engages the shoulder 19 of the notch. At thistime the arms are held spread apart so that the valve 36 may again bemanipulated to allow compressed air to exhaust through the pipe 39 andcompressed air to enter through the pipe 40 whereby the piston of themotor 11 is moved rearwardly or retracted and raises the gripping devicethrough the cable 28. In connection with the engagement of the keeper inthe notch of the link, it is apparent that, during the lowering of thegripping device, it may be lowered to an extent such that the link willride over the keeper to a position locating the notch inwardly of thekeeper. However, it is apparent that when the gripping device is raised,the link will ride back over the keeper until the keeper engages in thenotch. After the gripping device has been raised to its uppermostposition, the valve 35 is manipulated to provide for passage ofcompressed air through the pipe 38 to the front end of the cylinderproper of the motor and to permit compressed air to exhaust through thepipe 37 from the cylinder proper. As a result the piston of the motor 10is moved rearwardly or retracted and through the piston rod 34 moves thetrolley 9 to its rearward position as shown by dotted lines at whichtime the gripping device is located above the conveyor 2 and in positionto register with a ask upon the conveyor. At this time the valve 36 isagain manipulated to permit compressed air to enter through the pipe 39and exhaust through the pipe 40 so that the gripping device is loweredto a position enabling the hooks to be manually directed past theshoulders 5 at the upper edge of the flask section. During the loweringand after the hooks l5 have passed the downwardly facing shoulders, thekeeper 17 is disengaged from the notch 18 of the link 16 by the stop 21engaging the lower surface of the free outer end portion of the link andpreventing the free end portion of the link from further downwardmovement. As a result, the hooks 1S are free to move inwardly towardeach other. Upon again manipulating the valve 36 to permit compressedair to enter through the pipe 40 and exhaust through the pipe 39 thegripping device is raised bringing the hooks 15 into gripping engagementwith the downwardly facing shoulders of the flask section and thereafterraising the flask section to its uppermost position as determined by thestroke of the piston of the motor 11. Then the valve is manipulated topermit compressed air to pass through the pipe 37 and exhaust throughthe pipe 38 with the result that the piston of the motor 10 is movedforwardly to advance the trolley and the gripping device to thepositions shown in full lines.

What we claim as our invention is:

l. Apparatus for handling articles comprising a support adapted to bemounted above an article for up and down movement, arms pivoted to saidsupport and depending therefrom in divergent relation to cach other andhaving portions at their lower ends facing each other for gripping anarticle, cooperating means on said arms for holding said arms spreadapart and spacing said gripping portions from each other to clear thearticle, release means operable upon said cooperating means to releasethe same upon lowering of said support to permit the gripping portionsof said arms to move into gripping relation with the article for raisingthe article upon subsequent raising of said support, said arms beingdisplaced by the article to permit said cooperating means to becomeoperative to hold said arms spread apart to release the article uponlowering of said support following the subsequent deposit of the articleupon a supporting surface with said cooperating means clearing saidrelease means.

2. Apparatus for handling articles comprising a support adapted to bemounted above an article for up and down movement, arms pivoted to saidsupport and depending therefrom in divergent relation to each other andhaving portions at their lower ends facing each other for gripping anarticle, cooperating means on said arms for holding said arms spreadapart and spacing said gripping portions from each other to clear thearticle, said cooperating means comprising a link pivotally connected toone of said arms and provided with a shoulder remote from the pivotalconnection and a keeper on the other of said arms engageable with saidshoulder, a member engageable with said link to automatically releasesaid cooperating means upon lowering of said support to permit thegripping portions of said arms to move into gripping relation with thearticle for raising thc article on subsequent raising of said support,said arms being displaced by the article to permit said cooperatingmeans to become operative to hold said arms spread apart to release thearticle upon lowering of said support following the subsequent depositof the article upon a :supporting surface with said link clearing saidmember.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 938,904Sherman Nov. 2, 1909 1,643,208 Griffin Sept. 20, 1927 1,674,967 FitchJune 26, 1928 1,995,509 Hayden Mar. 26, 1935 2,215,844 Van Syckle Sept.24, 1940 2,434,163 lobe Jan. 6, 1948 2,598,222 Cahners et al s May 27,1952 2,638,645 Olson May 19, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 24,770 Great BritainDec. 5, 1901

